The day after Ba'al had been missed in Georgetown Jack got in touch with General Landry telling him to contact Atlantis and warn them to be on the lookout for trouble. At one of his many meetings he had pointed out that informing Landry was the sensible course of action. It had really worried him that it took over an hour for the D.C. shrubs to agree to his request. Due to the other meetings and trying to convince people that he was not a traitor he had not heard directly from Landry since. It came as a bit of a surprise to Jack when he was rudely awoken that morning by a call from the man himself.

Jack quickly jumped out of bed so that Sam would not be woken and walked down the stairs with the portable phone. After asking after them Landry informed him he had contacted Atlantis and had spoken to a Dr Smythe. He then said that Rodney and John had to leave Atlantis to help Teyla. Jack knew Sam would not like the sound of that, however Landry was satisfied the Dr would keep an eye out, she had been recommended for the position by the President himself. Speaking of which he had a phone call to make.

After he put the phone down for a second time Jack set about making breakfast for them but one look in his cupboard told him he would be better running to the local shop. Once he got back and started on the eggs and pancakes he went to check on Sam. She was just getting up and Jack let himself get momentarily distracted by her. She was beautiful, brilliant and his, totally his, he really thought that up until last night he had not fully believed that. Despite this albeit large blip, she wanted him, wanted to make a life with him.

They had talked again in the middle of the night, Sam was convinced she would need to do more to earn his forgiveness and again Jack had surprised her.

"Sam I learned a long time ago that you can't earn forgiveness. It has to be given for free. I love you, you did hurt me but the only other option is not to have you in my life and that's not an option"

She had burst out crying at that one and Jack, despite feeling bad that he made her cry, had given himself a pat on the back. He was getting better at this, he smiled smugly.

"But I need to make it up to you, I did something that hurt you" she had continued to push, not believing him

"He had sat up at that point and tried to sort out his jumbled thoughts. He might as well tell her the ideas he had, then she would understand

No. Sam when Charlie died I spent a long time trying to work out how I could make it up to him and to Sara. She showed me that forgiveness was nothing to do with me and everything to do with her. She had to not blame me."

"I am glad you sorted things out Jack but this isn't the same"

"Sam I could kick you out, destroy your career, move to the cabin by myself but I don't want any of that. I love you and you made me see how hurt you were by the letters and I don't blame you. You don't need to do anything, I don't want a relationship based on who owes someone something. Like I said before I belong with you and you belong with me. Now can we get back to enjoying being together? Please??

Ok so he wasn't above begging. Fortunately she was happy to oblige.

Once he had pulled himself from his memories of the night before Jack reported the conversation with Landry to Sam. She had agreed Stephanie was more than capable of keeping a watch although she had been very annoyed that her base commanders had disobeyed the only order she had given them.

Jack left Sam to change and once they were both sitting at the kitchen table, Jack dropped his next bombshell "So I have been thinking"

"Oh" she was unsure of his tone "I thought we talked through everything last night?"

"We did but I think we need a bit of time to talk without one of us being in another galaxy"

He could see she was about to protest or even worse, get into a state over her career and its impact on 'them' he continued quickly

"So I spoke to the President, he said since you were here we should take some personal time. In his words 'you two have saved the world to often not to get any time for anything else'"

The President had actually added something about a wedding and getting an invite but Jack decided neither of them needed that sort of pressure at this point.

"He said that" Sam responded incredulously

"Yup, so you up for a spot of fishing"

"I think I could cope with that"

"Good cause we are leaving in about an hour, President's jet and all. He must really like us" Jack said with a hint of unbelief in his voice.

They moved quickly around the house, packed and then headed for Andrew's, both looking forward to their first real vacation in almost 2 years.

They boarded the small Lear jet and were soon cruising over Pennsylvania on their way to Minnesota.

Around an hour into the journey things were going well. They were riding in a very comfy plane piloted by two of the air force's finest. The plane had everything Jack could want in a ride. A couple of long couches, big enough for him to sit at one side while Sam had her head on his thigh and read her magazine, definitely the right size. There was a mini-bar, fully stocked, which he had been told was there for their use with no extra charge, excellent. And finally, although this could be the best, neither of the people on board had any idea who they were, saluting got old really quickly in D.C. so this was fantastic. However all good things had to come to an end and Jack covered his face when there was a call from the cockpit.

"Ah Sir, sorry to interrupt but its General Landry, he says it's important"

"Ask him to clarify important Major"

"Yes Sir" the Major responded

A few minutes later he spoke again

"The General says its end of the world important, but I don't have the clearance to be a go between" He repeated the General's words a little sceptically.

"Oh for crying out loud" Jack murmured as he moved to the front of the plane.

The co-pilot came to the back letting Jack have his seat. He wasn't sure what to do so tried to make himself useful tidying up a little. He moved around the area surreptitiously looking at the female passenger.

'These people must be real important' he thought 'President's plane, General calling for them, but they are not wearing uniforms, who could they be'

"So you folks off on holiday" he tried to make conversation

"Yes, first for a long time" Sam replied looking up from her scientific magazine.

The woman seemed friendly and was willing to talk. Captain Franks had always been curious, he knew he shouldn't but he had to ask more

"You both in politics, friends of the President?"

She looked up at him and giggled a little "no not in politics"

Then deciding to take pity on the Captain in case he made a huge mistake without realising it, she added "General O'Neill works at the Pentagon, I work at Cheyenne Mountain, I'm Colonel Carter"

The young man nearly knocked himself out on the overhead storage when he jumped to attention.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, I meant no disrespect, I wasn't told who we were flying" he stuttered through the sentence.

"At ease Captain" she stated leisurely "We like to fly under the radar sometimes"

"Yes Ma'am" he responded just as Jack appeared.

The Captain saluted, and then almost lost his balance as the plane shuddered a little in mid-air. It took all of Sam's training to stop her from giggling.

Jack just breezed past the poor Captain, who returned to the cock-pit. Jack looked over at Sam and she could tell by his look that they were not going on holiday anymore.

"So Colorado or Nevada?" She questioned

"Colorado" He said without missing a beat "We seem to have lost contact with your command"

"With Atlantis" she finished in a whisper, aware of ears in the front of the plane

"Yup"

"Oh how did we find that out?"

"Well it seems you have ole Doc Lee to thank for that. He was trying a new doohickey on Midway and he did something wrong, Hank didn't give details but I imagine he almost blew it up or something. Anyway he tried to contact Mackay and couldn't get through. He thought it was just a glitch so did a system check and still couldn't reach them. He got in touch with the SGC and Landry thinks that Ba'al might have got his plan to work."

AN: so our rollercoaster takes us back to Atlantis. More tomorrow, hopefully.